brinkerhoff



(No Model.) 2 sheets-Sheet 1.

v 5 J. BRINKERHOFF, LUBRIGATING MEOEANISM FOR JOURNALS, HANGERS, AXLES, am.

No 259,085. I Patented June 6, 1882.

2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

.Patented Ju ne 6, 1882,

.J; BRINKERHOFR LUBRIdATiNG MECHANISM FOR GURNALs, HANGERS, AXLBs, &c.. No,- 259,085.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB BRINKERHOFF, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK.

LUBRICATING MECHANISM FOR JOURNALS, HANGERS, AXLES,,&c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,085, dated June 6, 1882.

Application filed May 2, 1882. (So model.)

New York, have invented new and useful Im-- provements in Lubricating Mechanism for Journals, Hangers, Axles, &c., of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to that class of lubricators for shafting in which the lubricant is supplied to the shaft from an oil-cup by a wick and means employed for automatically feeding the wick forward as the latter becomes worn by reason of its frictional contact with the shaft.

The objects of my invention areto provide a novel, strong, and effective spring feed mechanism for feeding the wick forward with certainty and regularity; also, to so adapt the said mechanism that in replacing the wornout wick by a new one the mechanism can be readily and conveniently operated for storing up power. These objects I attain by employing, in connection with the shaft to be lubricated, a small shaft or spindle'carrying one or more spur-wheels which engage with the wick to be fed forward, this shaft or. spindle which carries the. spur wheel or wheels being operated by a coiled spring which is applied to it, or to a suitable drum thereon, in suchmanuer that after the spring has been wound up and the several parts of the lubricator are in proper position the spring will gradually uncoil and rotate the shaft or spindlecarrying the spurwheels as the wick wears away, thereby positively and effectively feeding the wick forward.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention employed in connection with that class of boxes which are suspended by a hanger from above, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the lubricator and hanger with the. shaft in cross-section. Fig. 2 is a side elevationr Fig. 3 is a sectional plan taken on the line :0 0:, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a rear view of the lubricating apparatus. p

In the present instance I have illustrated the box A, in which the shaft has its bearing, as belonging to avertical or suspended hanger, B, for shafting, the hanger being designed to be secured to a beam or joist across a ceiling,

but as my invention relates to a lubricator. for

shafting, axles, as, in general, the form, location, or in fact the use at all of the hanger is immaterial, the only prerequisite being some sort of abox or hearin g for the shaft Cor axle to be lubricated.

The oiLbox D, which is of any appropriate configuration, is suspended from the bearingbox for the shaft by means of a supportingplate, E, that is bolted both to the bearingbox and to the oil box or receptacle.

The wick F,'for conducting lubricant from the oil-box to the shaft, passes through a wicktube, G, which has a sectional area proportionate to the size of wick employed, and which connects the cap or dome 01 upon the oil-box in which the shaft has its hearin g. The devices for feeding the wick forward to the shaft consist of one or more spur-wheels, H, mounted upon a. short shaft or spindle, I, and arranged to engage the wick, so that by turning the short shaft or spindle the spur-wheels will feed the wick outward through the wicktube. The spindle carrying thesc spur-wheels is mounted in a suitable bracket,.K, that is secured to the oil-box in such manner that it can be adjusted in order to free the spur-wheels from the wick, and thusadmit of the latter being drawn out from the wick-tube after the wick has become too short for use, or to vary the depth of engagement of the teeth of, the spur-wheels in the wick, or so that the spring can be wound up while the wick is in the tube without moving the wick. To such end this bracket is pivoted to one side of the oil-box by means of 8 5 a pivot, L, and secured in a fixed position upon the oil-box by means of a set-screw, L, which may either pass through a slotin the bracket or simply pass through a perforation in the bracket and bear against the oil-box. I do not, however, confine myself to any particular mounted passes through a horizontal recess,

d, which is formed in the neck of the cap (1 upon the oil-cup, thus allowing the spindle to be moved laterally from the neck when the bracket K is swung upon its pivot.

In order to impart to the spur-wheels a constant tendency to rotate in a. direction to feed the wick toward the shaft, so that the wick shall be fed forward as it wears away, I fix a small double-flanged drum, M, upon the spindle I, and arrange upon said drain a suitable Watch-spring, N, one end of which is secured to the drum and the other end to the bracket or other suitable fixture. Any other suitable form or kind of spring may he used. The spindle is provided with a button, P, for convenience in turning it so as to wind up this spring.

The spring being wound up and the wick adjusted in the wick tube, it is evident that the power thus stored up will expend itself in proportion to the wear of the wick, and that it will keep the latter at all times well up against the shaft.

It will be obvious that various modifications of this apparatus could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention--as, for example, other means than the plate E can be employed for maintaining the oil-receptacle in proper position relative to the box or hearing for the shaft or axle-such, for instance, as aseatorbracketappropriatelylocated. Again, the wick-tube, instead ofbeing connected with the upper portion of the oil-receptacle, can be connected with the side thereof, and can be arranged in either a vertical, horizontal, or an inclined position.

I have illustrated spu rwheels n pon the spindle for feeding forward the wick; but it will be seen that other analogous propelling devices could be fixed upon the spindle for the same purpose-as, for example, a series of radial spokes or pins adapted to engage the wick.

The form of spring is not essential so long as it acts to rotate the spindle; and hence the spring can be arranged to act either directly upon the spindle or indirectly thereon through some intervening mechanism, such as gearing or the like.

The mode of adjusting the spindle can also be varied-as, for instance, the bracket K could be fixed and provided with an adjustable hearing for the spindle, or any other snita ble devices can be employed for efi'ecting such adjustment of the spindle.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, in a lubricatorfor shafting, axles,&c., of a wick-tube connected to an oil-receptacle, a spindle provided with one or more spur-wheels or other propelling devices for feeding forward the wick, and a spring for actuating the spindle so as to cause the wick to be fed forward as it wears away.

2. The combination, in a. lubricator for shafting, of a spindle provided with one or more spur-wheels or analogous devices for feeding forward the wick from the oil-receptacle to the shalt, and the pivoted bracket K, providing a bearing for the spindle and rendered adjustable, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the bearing-box for a shaft, of the oil-receptacle suspended from said bearing'box, the wick-tuhe intermediate of the two, the spindle I, provided with one or more spur-wheels or other suitable propelling devices, the drum M, and the spring N, constructed and arranged substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB BRINKERHOFF.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH O. ANDERSON, J AMES T. (Mason. 

